Read A Biscuit, a Casket for Free Online

instead of his multicolored, green-tinted eyes and she had a smattering of freckles
     across her cheeks and nose. She laughed like he did, too, often and loudly, although
     there was no mirth tonight. Pasquale, however, oozed cop all the time. If she had
     even a quarter of the personality her brother and sister had, Stan had never seen
     a glimpse of it.
    They bid Emmalee good night. Stan looked back at her as they walked out the door.
     She looked slightly bewildered, as if she had no idea how she’d come to be standing
     in this room, in this situation, with such a long road ahead.
    Outside, Jake motioned to his truck. “Come on, I’ll drop you off.”
    “I live two houses down,” Stan protested.
    “It’s two in the morning. Probably closer to three by now. Humor me.”
    So she did. She really didn’t want to walk anyway after tonight’s events, but didn’t
     want to look like a baby. The short ride was quiet. Even Duncan remained subdued.
     When Jake pulled into her driveway, the sight of her house made her feel better instantly.
     The mint-green Victorian with the white wraparound porch had seduced her from the
     moment she saw it on a drive through town with her best friend, Nikki. Newly unemployed,
     she had been miserable. And then she saw the F OR S ALE sign, and everything changed. Now it was home. She heard barking when she opened
     the truck door. Henry the pit bull’s deep, strong bark coupled with Scruffy the schnoodle’s
     sweet-sounding woo woo woos .
    “Oh, my God, the dogs haven’t been outside in hours,” she said. “I’m a terrible parent.”
    “No you’re not. You’re a good friend. Come on, I’ll take them out for you.”
    “They can go out in the back. It’s fenced,” Stan said, then stopped when Jake gave
     her that look. The one that said, Shut up and let me help. “Okay, come on in.”
    They went inside, Duncan jumping up and down with the excitement of seeing his friends.
     They finally made it into the hallway amid a flurry of barking, wagging, jumping,
     and licking. Through the mayhem, Nutty watched with disdain from his perch on the
     front windowsill.
    “I know, they’re crazy,” Stan said, bending down to kiss Nutty’s head. “And you’re
     probably hungry.”
    Nutty arched his back and purred in response, fanning his brilliant tail, then jumped
     down and trotted into the kitchen to wait for a snack. Jake took the dogs out back,
     allowing Stan a few moments of quiet with her cat. She heated up a small bowl of his
     chicken, rice, and broccoli mixture and added two homemade blueberry cinnamon treats
     as garnish. Nutty waited in his usual spot on the counter. When Stan placed it in
     front of him, he attacked it, flecks of food flying.
    “Well, I guess you really were hungry.” She filled a fresh bowl of water and replaced
     the old bowl in the corner of the kitchen. Jake and the dogs came in a minute later.
    “All set,” he said, as the three of them bounded over to her and plopped on the floor,
     waiting for their food.
    “Thank you,” she said. His eyes met hers over the dogs’ heads, and she quickly looked
     away. “So I guess I’m feeding everyone dinner, huh, guys?”
    They all wagged expectantly. Duncan looked proud of himself for blending in with the
     group so well.
    “Good thing I’m prepared.” She pulled some bowls out of the fridge, and moments later
     all three dogs were eating contentedly. Nutty, who had already finished his, jumped
     down and nosed around to see whose plate he could bum something off of. The dogs,
     even Duncan, understood that he was in charge, and grudgingly let him select a plate
     to nibble from. He chose Henry’s.
    “Thanks for feeding Dunc,” Jake said.
    “No problem. Thanks for coming in. Want anything?”
    “No. Thanks. It’s pretty late.”
    She turned to the sink and began rinsing off dishes. “I can’t believe Hal’s been killed.
     Who would do such a thing? To someone with four children? I feel so